The Conspiracy of Charles Duke of Byron · chunk 11 of 33
Chapman, George · published 1608 · first performed or written 1608 [1607-1608] (Annals) history · Children of the Queen's Revels unassigned nearest T59 Spanish courts: war, honour and courtshi · 529 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T59: andrea, spain, portugal, tribute, horatio, king, bellimperia, prince, lord, lorenzo.
Who cannot friend himself, is foe to any, And to be feared of all, and that is it, Makes me so scorned, but make me what you can; Never so wicked, and so full of fiends, I never yet, was traitor to my friends: The laws of friendship I have ever held, As my religion; and for other laws; He is a fool that keeps them with more care, Than they keep him, safe, rich, and popular: For riches, and for popular respects Take them amongst ye Minions, but for safety, You shall not find the least flaw in mine arms, To pierce or taint me; what will great men be, To please the King, and bear authority. How fic a tort were this to handsel fortune? And I will win it though I lose myself, Though he prove harder than Egyptian Marble, I'll make him malleable, as th'Ophyr gold; I am put off from this dull shore of East, Into industrious, and high-going Seas; Where, like Pelides in Scamander's flood, Up to the ears in surges, I will fight, And pluck French Ilion underneath the waves; If to be highest still, be to be best, All works to that end are the worthiest: Truth is a golden Ball, cast in our way, To make us stripped by falsehood: And as Spain When the hot scuffles of Barbarian arms, Smothered the life of Don Sebastian, To guild the leaden rumor of his death Gave for a slaughtered body (held for his) A hundred thousand crowns; caused all the state Of superstitious Portugal to mourn And celebrate his solemn funerals; The Moores to conquest, thankful feasts prefer, And all made with the carcase of a Swisser: So in the Giant like, and politic wars Of barbarous greatness, raging still in peace, Shows to aspire just objects; are laid on With cost, with labour, and with form enough, Which only makes our best acts brook the light, And their ends had, we think we have their right, So worst works are made good, with good success, And so for Kings, pay subjects carcases. Was he so courted? As a City Dame, Brought by her jealous husband, to the Court, Some elder Courtiers entertaining him, While others snatch, a favour from his wife: One starts from this door; from that nook another, With gifts, and junkets, and with printed phrase, Steal her employment, shifting place by place Still as her husband comes: so Duke Byron Was wood, and worshipped in the archdukes Court, And as th'assistants that your Majesty, joined in Commission with him, or myself, Or any other doubted eye appeared, He ever vanished: and as such a dame, As we compared with him before, being won To break faith to her husband, lose her fame, Stain both their progenies, and coming fresh From underneath the burden of her shame, Visits her husband with as chaste a brow, As temperate, and confirmed behaviour, As she came quitted from confession. So from his scapes, would he present a presence, The practice of his state adultery, And guilt that should a graceful bosom strike, Drowned in the set lake, of a hopeless cheek.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Who cannot friend himselfe, is foe to any, And to be fear'd of all, and that is it, Makes me so skornd, but make me what you can; Neuer so wicked, and so full of feends, I neuer yet, was traitor to my friends: The lawes of friendship I haue euer held, As my religion; and for other lawes; He is a foole that keepes them with more care, Then they keepe him, safe, rich, and populare: For riches, and for populare respects Take them amongst yee Minions, but for safety, You shall not finde the least flaw in mine armes, To pierce or taint me; what will great men be, To please the King, and beare authoritie. How fic a tort were this to hansell fortune? And I will winne it though I loose my selfe, Though he prooue harder then Egiptian Marble, Ile make him malliable, as th'Ophyr gold; I am put off from this dull shore of East, Into industrious, and high-going Seas; Where, like Pelides in Scamanders flood, Vp to the eares in surges, I will fight, And pluck French Ilion vnderneath the waues; If to be highest still, be to be best, All workes to that end are the worthiest: Truth is a golden Ball, cast in our way, To make vs stript by falsehood: And as Spaine When the hote scuffles of Barbarian armes, Smotherd the life of Don Sebastian, To guild the leaden rumor of his death Gaue for a slaughterd body (held for his) A hundred thousand crownes; causd all the state Of superstitious Portugall to mourne And celebrate his solemne funerals; The Moores to conquest, thankfull feasts preferre, And all made with the carcasse of a Switzer: So in the Giant like, and politique warres Of barbarous greatnesse, raging still in peace, Showes to aspire iust obiects; are laide on With cost, with labour, and with forme enough, Which onely makes our best acts brooke the light, And their ends had, we thinke we haue their right, So wurst workes are made good, with good successe, And so for Kings, pay subiects carcases. Was he so courted? As a Cittie Dame, Brought by her iealous husband, to the Court, Some elder Courtiers entertaining him, While others snatch, a fauour from his wife: One starts from this doore; from that nooke another, With gifts, and iunkets, and with printed phrase, Steale her employment, shifting place by place Still as her husband comes: so Duke Byron Was woode, and worshipt in the Arch-dukes Court, And as th'assistants that your Maiestie, Ioinde in Commission with him, or my selfe▪ Or any other doubted eye appear'd, He euer vanisht: and as such a dame, As we compar'd with him before, being wun To breake faith to her husband, loose her fame, Staine both their progenies, and comming fresh From vnderneath the burthen of her shame, Visits her husband with as chaste a browe, As temperate, and confirm'd behauiour, As she came quitted from confession. So from his scapes, would he present a presence, The practise of his state adulterie, And guilt that should a gracefull bosome strieke, Drownde in the set lake, of a hopelesse cheeke.